Vehicle article carrier having stowable cross bars

ABSTRACT

A vehicle article carrier having a pair of cross bars that can be positioned in a stowed, position, resting on or adjacent to a corresponding pair of side rails, or moved into an operative position with the cross bars extending perpendicularly between the side rails. When the cross bars are in the stowed position, the apparatus presents a significantly more aerodynamic structure that helps to reduce wind noise when the vehicle on which the apparatus is mounted is being driven. The cross bars can be quickly moved into the operative position via a latching mechanism disposed at end that can be released from a securing portion of one side rail and re-attached to a securing portion of the other side rail. Various embodiments are presented with different latching and pivoting mechanisms.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10/279,285,filed Oct. 24, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,066.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to vehicle article carriers suchas luggage racks and, more particularly, to a vehicle article carrierhaving crossbars operable in a first or stowed mode oriented parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the vehicle and in a second or article carryingmode oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

2. Discussion

Modern automotive vehicles are commonly equipped with article carrierssuch as luggage racks for supporting various articles externally of thevehicle. Most vehicle article carriers include a pair of siderailslaterally spaced apart on the vehicle roof (or trunk) and alignedparallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Most vehicle articlecarriers also include two or more crossbars laterally spanning the spacebetween the siderails. The crossbars work in conjunction with thesiderails to provide anchor points for securing articles to the carrier.

While such vehicle article carriers perform excellently in terms ofarticle support and the like, there is still room for improvement. Forexample, vehicle article carrier crossbars can sometimes contribute towind noise audible to vehicle occupants. Inasmuch as wind noise isgenerally considered undesirable, minimizing wind noise caused byvehicle article carrier crossbars is an important goal.

One attempt to reduce wind noise caused by vehicle article carriercrossbars has been to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of thecrossbars. While some of these attempts have proven helpful in reducingwind noise, even more effective wind noise reduction would be highlydesirable. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a vehicle articlecarrier having an improved crossbar configuration which furtherminimizes wind noise audible within the vehicle occupant compartment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above and other objects are provided by a vehicle article carrierincluding a pair of laterally spaced apart siderails. A pair ofcrossbars are coupled to the siderails. Each crossbar is operable in afirst or stowed mode axially aligned with a siderail and in a second orcarrying mode laterally spanning the space between the side rails. In afirst embodiment, an orientation assembly interengaging the siderailsand crossbars ensures that the crossbars are only oriented in one of thefirst and second modes. That is, the crossbars are not pivotable throughorientations between the spanning position and the stowed position. In asecond embodiment, the crossbars are pivotable throughout the range ofmotion between the spanning position and the stowed position. A separatemechanism is also provided to enable the crossbars to be longitudinallyrepositioned along the siderail. In a third embodiment, the crossbarsinclude a pivoting latch for securing the crossbar to the siderail. Thiseliminates a rotatable knob provided in the other embodiments. Anactuating member helps facilitate the transition between the spanningand stowed modes. In a fourth embodiment, an alternate latch is employedand the crossbar is both horizontally pivotable and vertically rotatablerelative to the siderails.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It shouldbe understood that the detailed description and specific examples, whileindicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended forpurposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to appreciate the manner in which the advantages and objects ofthe invention are obtained, a more particular description of theinvention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereofwhich are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings only depict preferred embodiments of the present invention andare not therefore to be considered limiting in scope, the invention willbe described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motor vehicle having a vehicle articlecarrier incorporating the teachings of the present invention mountedthereon;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a siderail and crossbar assemblyaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention in a stowedmode;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the locking member of the crossbar assembly ofthe first embodiment of the present invention in a locked mode;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the locking member of the crossbar assembly ofthe first embodiment of the present invention in an unlocked mode;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the first embodiment siderail andcrossbar assembly in a spanning mode;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a second embodiment vehicle article carrier inaccordance with the present invention in a spanning mode;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the second embodiment vehicle article carrier inaccordance with the present invention in a stowed mode;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the second embodiment vehicle article carrier inaccordance with the present invention pivoting between the spanning andstowed modes;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a crossbar and a siderail of the secondembodiment vehicle article carrier of the present invention in aspanning mode;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a crossbar and a siderail of the secondembodiment vehicle article carrier of the present invention in a stowedmode;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a crossbar and a siderail ofthe second embodiment vehicle article carrier of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a third embodiment vehicle articlecarrier in accordance with the present invention in a spanning mode;

FIG. 13 is a top view of the third embodiment vehicle article carrier inaccordance with the present invention in a stowed mode;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the third embodiment vehicle articlecarrier in accordance with the present invention pivoting between thespanning and stowed modes;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a cross bar and siderail of the thirdembodiment vehicle article carrier of the present invention in aspanning mode;

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a cross bar and siderail ofthe third embodiment vehicle article carrier of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a bottom view of a cross bar and siderail of the thirdembodiment vehicle article carrier of the present invention in anextended mode;

FIG. 18 is a bottom view of a cross bar and siderail of the thirdembodiment vehicle article carrier of the present invention in aretracted mode;

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of a cross bar and siderail of the thirdembodiment vehicle article carrier of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment vehicle articlecarrier in accordance with the present invention in a spanning mode;

FIG. 21 is a top view of the fourth embodiment vehicle article carrierin a stowed mode;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a securing mechanism of the fourthembodiment vehicle article carrier in a locked mode;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the securing mechanism of the fourthembodiment vehicle article carrier in an unlocked mode;

FIG. 24 is an exploded view of the securing mechanism of the fourthembodiment vehicle article carrier;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the securing mechanism of thefourth embodiment vehicle article carrier in a locked mode;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the securing mechanism of thefourth embodiment vehicle article carrier in an unlocked mode;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a rotating and pivoting mechanism ofthe fourth embodiment vehicle article carrier;

FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating and pivoting mechanismof the fourth embodiment vehicle article carrier in a non-rotated state;

FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating and pivoting mechanismof the fourth embodiment vehicle article carrier in a rotated state;

FIG. 30 is an exploded perspective view of still another alternativepreferred end support for use with the article carrier of the presentinvention;

FIG. 31 is a view of a rear portion of the latching member shown in FIG.30;

FIG. 32 is a side cross sectional view of the assembled end support ofFIG. 30 showing the end support in the latched orientation relative toone of the side rails; and

FIG. 33 is a view of the end support of FIG. 32 with the latching membermoved into the unlatched position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiments is merelyexemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention,its application, or uses.

The present invention is directed towards a vehicle article carrier suchas a luggage rack. The vehicle article carrier includes a pair oflaterally spaced apart siderails. A pair of crossbars are coupled to thesiderails and are operable in one of two modes. In a first mode, thecrossbars are stowed in axial alignment with the siderails. In a secondmode, the crossbars laterally span the space between the siderails.

Turning now to the drawing figures, FIG. 1 illustrates an automotivevehicle in the form of a mini-van generally at 10. A vehicle articlecarrier 12 is mounted to a roof of the vehicle 10. The vehicle articlecarrier 12 includes a pair of laterally spaced apart, parallel siderailassemblies 14 a and 14 b. A pair of crossbar assemblies 16 a and 16 bare coupled to siderail assemblies 14 a and 14 b.

Each crossbar assembly 16 a, 16 b is operable in a first or stowed modenested within a recessed area 18 a, 18 b of a siderail assembly 14 a, 14b. In the stowed mode, each crossbar assembly 16 a, 16 b is axiallyaligned relative to a siderail assembly 14 a, 14 b. The stowed mode isillustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1.

Each crossbar assembly 16 a, 16 b is also operable in a second orspanning mode projecting across the space between the siderailassemblies 14 a and 14 b. In the spanning mode, each crossbar assembly16 a, 16 b is laterally aligned relative to the siderail assemblies 14 aand 14 b. The spanning mode is illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 1.

To facilitate the transition of the crossbar assemblies 16 a and 16 bbetween the stowed mode position and the spanning mode position, gaps 20a and 20 b are provided at opposite ends of each recessed area 18 a, 18b. The gaps 20 a and 20 b accommodate one end of a crossbar assembly 16a or 16 b in a spanning mode position while the other crossbar assembly16 a or 16 b remains in a stowed mode position. In this way, a user maydisconnect a stowed crossbar assembly 16 a, 16 b from one side of thevehicle 10 and reposition it cross-wise to the vehicle without having towalk to the opposite side of the vehicle. The gaps 20 a and 20 b providea place for the far end of the crossbar assembly 16 a or 16 b to restwhile the near end is being resecured to the near siderail assembly.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a siderail assembly 14 a and crossbar assembly 16a according to a first embodiment are illustrated. While only one end ofthe siderail assembly 14 a and crossbar assembly 16 a is illustrated,one skilled in the art should appreciate that the opposite ends thereofare preferably identically configured. Similarly, while only thesiderail assembly 14 a and crossbar assembly 16 a are illustrated, oneskilled in the art should appreciate that the other siderail assembly 14b and crossbar assembly 16 b are preferably identically configured.

The siderail assembly 14 a is preferably formed as an elongated plasticmember by a molding process which simultaneously forms the L-shapedrecessed area 18 a. An elongated metal slat 22 is disposed within achannel 24 formed in the bottom surface 26 of the recessed area 18 a.The slat 22 includes an elongated opening in the form of a slot 28. Theslot 28 provides access to an interior volume of the slat 22 which isoverhung by a pair of opposing lips 30 forming part of the slat 22.

Although the slat 22 may extend along the entire length of the recessedarea 18 a, it is presently preferred to limit the length or extension toonly that amount which is reasonably necessary for mounting anticipatedaccessories to the siderail assembly 14 a. For example, the slat lengthmay be equivalent to five times the width of the end of the crossbarassembly 16 a. Although other materials may be used, it is presentlypreferred to form the slat 22 from extruded aluminum or roll-formedmetal.

A pair of laterally spaced apart locating holes 32 a and 32 b are formedin the bottom surface 26 of the siderail assembly 14 a offset from andon opposite sides of the slat 22. The locating holes 32 a and 32 b arepreferably molded in place when the siderail assembly 14 a is formedsuch that an axis interconnecting the holes is essentially orthogonal tothe slat 22. If desired, the holes 32 a and 32 b may alternatively bebored or drilled in place as desired. Also, if desired, a strengtheningsleeve, such as a metal cylinder, may be disposed in each locating hole32 a and 32 b for added rigidity.

The position of the locating holes 32 a and 32 b dictate the length ofthe gap 20 a when the crossbar assembly 16 a is in a stowed modeposition. The gap 20 a should be at least long enough to accommodate anend of a crossbar assembly oriented in a spanning mode position whilethe other crossbar assembly is oriented in a stowed mode position alongthe same siderail assembly.

The crossbar assembly 16 a is preferably formed by a molding process toinclude an elongated plastic crossbar body 34. The crossbar assembly 16a also includes an end support 36 mounted to and end of the crossbarbody 34. The end support 36 is also preferably formed as a plasticmember by a molding process.

The end support 36 includes a pair of spaced apart locating pegs 38 aand 38 b extending essentially orthogonally from a mounting surface sidethereof. The locating pegs 38 a and 38 b are preferably molded in placeso as to be integral with the end support 36 but may alternatively besecured to the end support 36 as discrete members. The locating pegs 38a and 38 b are configured to complement the size, shape, spacing andangle of the locating holes 32 a and 32 b. As such, the locating pegs 38a and 38 b may be removeably inserted within the locating holes 32 a and32 b. In this way, the locating pegs 38 a and 38 b cooperate with thelocating holes 32 a and 32 b to form part of an orientation assembly fororienting the crossbar assembly 16 a in the first or stowed mode.

A locking assembly 40 coupled to the crossbar assembly 16 a includes apreferably plastic rotatable knob 42 coupled to a preferably metallicthreaded member 44 which extends through an opening formed through theend support 36. The threaded member 44 threadingly engages anauto-aligning locking member 46 in the form of a preferably metallic,e.g., aluminum, stamped tap plate or T-lug. As will be described ingreater detail below, by rotating the rotatable knob 42 to tighten thethreaded member 44 into the locking member 46, the locking member 46abuttingly engages the underside of the lips 30 of the slat 22 to lockthe crossbar assembly 16 a to the siderail assembly 14 a. By rotatingthe rotatable knob 42 to loosen the threaded member 44 from the lockingmember 46, the locking member 46 disengages the lips 30 of the slat 22and aligns along the axis of the slot 28 to unlock the crossbar assembly16 a from the siderail assembly 14 a.

The distal end 48 of the threaded member 44 includes an unsettled threadarea 50 to prevent the threaded member 44 from disconnecting from thelocking member 46. That is, as relative rotation between the threadedmember 44 and locking member 46 occurs, the locking member 46 maymigrate toward the distal end 48 of the threaded member 44. However,when the locking member 46 reaches the unsettled thread area 50, thelocking member 46 cannot migrate further or inadvertently be twisted offof the threaded member 44.

Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4 (and also with continued reference to FIG.2), the operation of the locking assembly 40 will be described ingreater detail. The locking member 46 includes a rectangular baseportion 52 having an upstanding orientation portion or collar 54extending therefrom. The base portion 52 has a width which is less thanthe width of the slot 28 between the lips 30 of the slat 22. The baseportion 52 has a length which is longer than the width of the slot 28.In this way, the locking member 46 can be inserted within the slot 28and then rotated 90° to underlie the lips 30 and lock in place.

A plurality of conical members or teeth 56 upwardly projecting from thebase portion 52 frictionally engage the lips 30 of the slat 22 toprevent relative rotation therebetween. The teeth 56 may be cast inplace, machined, or formed by bending up the corners of the base portion52.

The vertical position of the locking member 46 along the threaded member44 is controlled such that the orientation portion 54 spans the depth ofthe slot 28. That is, when the locking member 46 is disposed within theslat 22, the lips 30 of the slat 22 remain adjacent the orientationportion 54. In this way, the orientation portion 54 can interact withthe slat 22 to control the orientation of the base portion 52.

More particularly, the orientation portion 54 includes two stops in theform of two oppositely disposed engagement corners 58 a and 58 b. Theorientation portion 54 also includes two oppositely disposedrotation-enabling rounds 60 a and 60 b. The rounds 60 a and 60 b allowthe locking member 46 to be rotated relative to the slat 22. However,the corners 58 a and 58 b prevent the locking member 46 from rotatingmore than 90°. More particularly, during rotation of the threaded member44, the rounds 60 a and 60 b rotate relative to the lips 30 of the slat22. However, at the end of a 90° arc, the engagement corners 58 a and 58b abuttingly engage the lips 30. As such, further rotation of thelocking member 46 is prevented.

As can be appreciated from the forgoing, the locking member 46 may beeasily rotated to a first or engagement position oriented orthogonallyrelative to the lips 30 or to a second or release position orientedparallel to the lips 30. In the engagement position, the crossbarassembly 16 a is locked to the siderail assembly 14 a. In the releaseposition, the crossbar assembly 16 a is removable from the siderailassembly 14 a. After the locking member 46 is released, the crossbarassembly 16 a may be lifted from the siderail assembly 14 a andrepositioned relative thereto.

Turning now to FIG. 5, the crossbar assembly 16 b is illustrated in asecond or spanning mode relative to the siderail assembly 14 a. Asillustrated, the end support 36 of the crossbar assembly 16 b restswithin the gap 20 a. Of course, once the other cross bar assembly isremoved from the siderail assembly 14 a, the spanning crossbar assembly16 b can be positioned anywhere along the length of the slat 22.

In the second or spanning mode, the locating pegs 38 a and 38 b areinserted within the slot 28 of the slat 22. More particularly, the pegs38 a and 38 b are removed from the locating holes 32 a and 32 b andreoriented 90° relative thereto. The abutting engagement of the pegs 38a and 38 b with the lips 30 of the slat 22 maintain the angle of thecrossbar assembly 16 b relative to the siderail assembly 14 a. In thisway, the slat 22 cooperates with the locating pegs 38 a and 38 b to formpart of the orientation assembly for orienting the crossbar assembly 16b in the second or spanning mode.

Although it should be clear from the foregoing description, thetransition of the crossbar assembly 16 b from a stowed mode to aspanning mode and vice versa will be described with reference to FIGS.1–5. In the stowed mode, the locking assemblies 40 will normally belocked to secure the crossbar assembly 16 b to the siderail assembly 14b. The rotatable knob 42 is then rotated in a counter-clockwisedirection to loosen the locking member 46 from the lips 30 of the slat22. Continued counter-clockwise rotation twists the locking member 4690° from the locked position under the lips 30 to the unlocked positionaligned with the slot 28. Abutment of the engagement corners 58 a and 58b of the orientation portion 54 with the lips 30 prevents over rotationof the locking member 46.

Once both locking assemblies 40 are unlocked, the crossbar assembly 16 bmay be lifted away from the siderail assembly 14 b and reorientedcross-wise relative thereto. The far end of the crossbar assembly 16 bmay then be positioned within the gap 20 a of the opposite siderailassembly 14 a. Simultaneously or thereafter, the near end of thecrossbar assembly 16 b can be positioned such that the locking member 46and locating pegs 38 a and 38 b are inserted within the slot 28. Slightrepositioning of the locking member 46 may be performed by manipulationof the rotatable knob 42 if required.

Once the locking member 46 and locating pegs 38 a and 38 b are properlypositioned, the rotatable knob 42 is rotated in a clockwise direction totwist the locking member 46 to an engagement position as controlled bythe interaction of engagement corners 58 a and 58 b with the lips 30.Continued clockwise rotation of the rotatable knob 42 secures thelocking member 46 under the lips 30 and locks the crossbar assembly 16 bto the siderail assembly 14 b.

A similar operation is performed to secure the opposite end of thecrossbar assembly 16 b to the opposite siderail assembly 14 a. To returnthe crossbar assembly 16 b to the stowed mode position, the oppositesequence is performed.

Turning now to FIGS. 6–8, a second embodiment of the present inventionis illustrated. The vehicle article carrier 100 includes two laterallyspaced apart siderails 102 a and 102 b. A pair of crossbars 104 a and104 b are coupled at opposite ends to the siderails 102 a and 102 b. Thecrossbars 104 a and 104 b are operable in a first or spanning mode, asillustrated in FIG. 6, extending across the space between the siderails102 a and 102 b, and also in a second or stowed mode, as illustrated inFIG. 7, axially aligned with the siderails 102 a and 102 b.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, to facilitate the transition between thespanning mode and the stowed mode, the crossbars 104 a and 104 b arepivotally coupled at one end to the siderails 102 a and 102 b. Moreparticularly, the crossbar 104 a includes a pivot mechanism 106 apivotally coupled to the siderail 102 b. Similarly, the crossbar 104 bincludes a pivot mechanism 106 b pivotally coupled to the siderail 102a.

A securing mechanism 108 a is provided at the opposite end of thecrossbar 104 a for securing the crossbar 104 a to the siderail 102 b ina stowed mode (see FIG. 7) and to the siderail 102 a in a spanning mode(see FIG. 6). Similarly, a securing mechanism 108 b is provided at theopposite end of the crossbar 104 b for securing the crossbar 104 b tothe siderail 102 a in a stowed mode (see FIG. 7) and to the siderail 102b in a spanning mode (see FIG. 6). An exemplary securing mechanism 108 ais illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 9–11.

As shown in FIGS. 9–11, the securing mechanism 108 a interconnects ashroud 110 a of the crossbar 104 a with a moveable mount 112 b securedto the siderail 102 b. The shroud 110 a is secured to the crossbar 104 aby at least one fixing member 111 a preferably in the form of a screw.The shroud 110 a includes a slotted opening 114 a providing a pair ofspaced apart shroud arms for sandwiching a tab 116 b of the moveablemount 112 b therebetween. A fastening member preferably in the form of athreaded shaft 118 a passes through the shroud 110 a and tab 116 b tosecure the two together. A retention member preferably in the form of athreaded nut 120 a engages the threaded shaft 118 a to fix the crossbar104 a to the siderail 102 b. A knob 122 a formed at an opposite end ofthe threaded shaft 118 a relative to the nut 120 a facilitates turningof the threaded shaft 118 a to tighten or loosen the connection with thethreaded nut 120 a. Preferably, the nut 120 a is fixedly secured to theshroud 110 a so as to remain coupled to the shroud 110 a even after theshaft 118 a is disengaged. In this way, the shaft 118 a can be easilyengaged and disengaged from the nut 120 a before and after pivoting thecrossbar 104 a between the stowed and spanning positions. Although notillustrated, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the securingmechanism 108 b is preferably configured identically to the securingmechanism 108 a.

The moveable mount 112 b is preferably slideably secured to the siderail102 b. More particularly, a fixing member in the form of a threadedshaft 123 b selectively secures the moveable mount 112 b along thesiderail 102 b. An anchor in the form of a tapped plate 124 bthreadingly engages the threaded shaft 123 b and frictionally engages aninner surface of a pair of opposed lips 125 b defining an elongated slot126 b in the siderail 102 b. A T-shaped lug 127 b is preferablyintegrally provided along an edge of the moveable mount 112 b toslidingly accommodate the lips 125 b while residing within the slot 126b. An orifice 128 b provided in the interior of the moveable mount 112 baccommodates a knob 129 b affixed to the threaded shaft 123 b oppositethe tapped plate 124 b. By turning the knob 129 b, the threaded shaft123 b releases the frictional engagement of the tapped plate 124 b withthe lips 125 b thereby enabling sliding movement of the moveable mount112 b along the siderail 102 b.

Another moveable mount 112 b′ is also slideably secured to the siderail102 b. The moveable mount 112 b′ is preferably configured identical tothat of the moveable mount 112 b. Similarly, as illustrated in FIGS.6–8, two moveable mounts 112 a and 112 a′ are slideably secured to thesiderail 102 a. The moveable mounts 112 a and 112 a′ are preferablyconfigured identical to that of the moveable mounts 112 b and 112 b′. Byproviding the moveable mounts 112, the crossbars 104 a and 104 b can beselectively positioned along the siderails 102 a and 102 b while in thespanning mode.

A pivoting mechanism 106 a interconnects a shroud 132 a of the crossbar104 a with the moveable mount 112 b′ secured to the siderail 102 b. Theshroud 132 a is secured to the crossbar 104 a by at least one fixingmember 134 a in the form of a screw. The shroud 132 a includes a slottedopening 136 a providing a pair of shroud arms for sandwiching a tab 116b′ of the moveable mount 112 b′ therein. A pivot member in the form of apartially threaded shaft 140 a passes through the shroud 132 a and tab116 b′ to secure the two together. A threaded nut 142 a engages thethreaded shaft 140 a to fix the two in place. Although not illustrated,one skilled in the art will appreciate that the pivoting mechanism 106 bis preferably configured identically to the pivoting mechanism 106 a.

Turning now to FIGS. 12–14 a third embodiment of the present inventionis illustrated. The vehicle article carrier 200 includes two laterallyspaced apart siderails 202 a and 202 b. A pair of crossbars 204 a and204 b are coupled at opposite ends to the siderails 202 a and 202 b. Thecrossbars 204 a and 204 b are operable in a first or spanning mode, asillustrated in FIG. 12, extending across the space between the siderails202 a and 202 b, and also in a second or stowed mode, as illustrated inFIG. 13, axially aligned with the siderails 202 a and 202 b.

As illustrated in FIG. 14, to facilitate the transition between thespanning mode and the stowed mode, the crossbars 204 a and 204 b arepivotally coupled to the siderails 202 a and 202 b. More particularly,the crossbar 204 a includes a pivoting latch mechanism 206 a pivotallycoupled to the siderail 202 b. Similarly, the crossbar 204 b includes apivoting latch mechanism 206 b pivotally coupled to the siderail 202 a.

A securing mechanism 208 a is provided at the opposite end of thecrossbar 204 a relative to the pivoting latch mechanism 206 a forsecuring the crossbar 204 a to the siderail 202 b in a stowed mode (seeFIG. 13) and to the siderail 202 a in a spanning mode (see FIG. 12).Similarly, a securing mechanism 208 b is provided at the opposite end ofthe crossbar 204 b relative to the pivoting latch mechanism 206 b forsecuring the crossbar 204 b to the siderail 202 a in a stowed mode (seeFIG. 13) and to the siderail 202 b in a spanning mode (see FIG. 12). Anexemplary securing mechanism 208 b is illustrated in greater detail inFIGS. 15–16

As shown in FIGS. 15–18, the securing mechanism 208 b interconnects anend support shroud 210 b of the crossbar 204 b with a moveable mount 212b secured within a recess of the siderail 202 b. The end support 210 bis secured to the crossbar 204 b in a telescoping manner by at least onefixing member 211 b in the form of a screw. The fixing member 211 b isfixed relative to the crossbar 204 b but the end support 210 b ismoveable relative to both the fixing member 211 b and the crossbar 204b. As such, the end support 210 b can be translated between an extendedor engaged mode, as illustrated in FIG. 17, and a retracted ordisengaged mode, as illustrated in FIG. 18. A slot 213 b formed in theend support 210 b accommodates such movement.

The end support 210 b includes a slotted opening 214 b for enveloping amushroom-shaped nub 216 b of the moveable mount 212 b therein. A base217 b of the end support 210 b slides under the top and on either sideof the trunk of the mushroom-shaped nub 216 b while the walls of theshroud adjacent the opening 214 b abut the sides of the nub 216 b. Afastening member in the form of a pivotable latch 218 b privotallyresides within the slotted opening 214 b and is operable in a lockedmode to engage the nub 216 b and an unlocked mode to release the nub 216b. An axle 220 b secures the latch 218 b to the end support 210 b andserves as a pivot for the latch 218 b. A biasing member in the form of aspring clip 222 b nests within the opening 214 b and urges the latch 218b toward the locked mode. To disengage the latch 218 b from the nub 216b, the bias of the spring 222 b is overcome by depressing the inboardend of the latch which allows the outboard end of the latch to lift offand release the nub 216 b. Once released from the nub 216 b, the shroudmay be translated away from the nub 216 b to provide clearance for thecross bar 204 b to pivot.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that the securing mechanism 208 ais preferably configured identically to the securing mechanism 208 b.Similarly, The securing mechanisms 206 a and 206 b are preferablyconfigured identically to the securing mechanisms 208 a and 208 b withthe exception of the translatable end support. Referring to FIG. 19, thesecuring mechanism 206 b is illustrated. The end support 210 b′ isfixedly secured to the crossbar 204 b by at least one fixing member 211b′ in the form of a screw. No slot is provided in the end support 210b′. In this way, the crossbar 204 b is provided with one fixed endsupport 210 b′ and one translatable end support 210 b (See FIGS. 17 and18). Likewise, the crossbar 204 a is provided with one fixed end support210 a′ and one translatable end support 210 a (see FIG. 12).

Referring again to FIGS. 15 and 16, the moveable mount 212 b ispreferably slideably secured to the siderail 202 b. More particularly, afixing member in the form of a threaded shaft 223 b selectively securesthe moveable mount 212 b along the siderail 202 b. An anchor in the formof a tapped plate 224 b threadingly engages the threaded shaft 223 b andfrictionally engages an inner surface of a pair of opposed lips 225 bdefining an elongated slot 226 b in the siderail 202 b. A t-shaped lug227 b is preferably integrally provided along an edge of the moveablemount 212 b to slidingly accommodate the lips 225 b while residingwithin the slot 226 b. A knob 228 b is provided on the threaded shaft223 b opposite the tapped plate 224 b. By turning the knob 228 b, thethreaded shaft 223 b releases the frictional engagement of the tappedplate 224 b with the lips 225 b thereby enabling sliding movement of themoveable mount 212 b along the siderail 202 b.

Referring again to FIGS. 12–14, another moveable mount 212 b′ is alsoslideably secured to the siderail 202 b. The moveable mount 212 b′ ispreferably configured identically to the moveable mount 212 b.Similarly, two moveable mounts 212 a and 212 a′ are slideably secured tothe siderail 202 a. The moveable mounts 212 a and 212 a′ are preferablyconfigured identically to the moveable mounts 212 b and 212 b′. Byproviding the moveable mounts 212, the crossbars 204 a and 204 b can beselectively positioned along the siderails 202 a and 202 b while in thespanning mode.

Referring collectively to FIGS. 12–19, to reposition the crossbars froma stowed mode to a spanning mode, one securing mechanism 208 of eachcrossbar is disengaged from a nub and each cross bar is pivoted towardsthe spanning position about the opposite securing mechanism 206. Eachcrossbar 204 is also translated such that the end of each crossbar 204is laterally offset from a nub 216 yet essentially perpendicular to thesiderails 202. To accommodate the translation movement, one end support210 telescopically retracts onto each crossbar 204. The securingmechanism 208 of each crossbar 204 is then positioned adjacent to a nub216, the crossbar is translated in an opposite direction to move thesecuring mechanism 208 over top of the nub 216, and subsequently securedthereto with a latch 218

Turning now to FIGS. 20 and 21, yet another embodiment of the presentinvention is illustrated. The vehicle article carrier 300 includes twolaterally spaced apart support rails forming siderails 302 a and 302 b.A pair of crossbars 304 a and 304 b are coupled at opposite ends to thesiderails 302 a and 302 b. The crossbars 304 a and 304 b are operable ina first or spanning mode, as illustrated in FIG. 20, extending acrossthe space between the siderails 302 a and 302 b, and also in a second orstowed mode, as illustrated in FIG. 21, axially aligned with thesiderails 302 a and 302 b.

To facilitate the transition between the spanning mode and the stowedmode, the crossbars 304 a and 304 b are rotatably and pivotally coupledto the siderails 302 a and 302 b. More particularly, the crossbar 304 aincludes a rotating and pivoting mechanism 306 a pivotally coupled tothe siderail 302 b. Similarly, the crossbar 304 b includes a rotatingand pivoting mechanism 306 b pivotally coupled to the siderail 302 a.

A securing mechanism 308 a is provided at the opposite end of thecrossbar 304 a relative to the pivoting mechanism 306 a for securing thecrossbar 304 a to the siderail 302 b in a stowed mode (see FIG. 21) andto the siderail 302 a in a spanning mode (see FIG. 20). Similarly, asecuring mechanism 308 b is provided at the opposite end of the crossbar304 b relative to the pivoting mechanism 306 b for securing the crossbar304 b to the siderail 302 a in a stowed mode (see FIG. 21) and to thesiderail 302 b in a spanning mode (see FIG. 20). An exemplary securingmechanism 308 a is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 22–26.

As shown in FIGS. 22–26, the securing mechanism 308 a interconnects anend support 310 a of the crossbar 304 a with a mounting portion 312 a ofthe siderail 302 a. The end support 310 a is preferably formedintegrally with a lower portion of the crossbar 304 a. The end support310 a includes a recessor pocket 314 a accommodating a complementaryshaped latch 316 a therein.

The latch 316 a is preferably pivotally mounted within the end support310 a by an axle 318 a forming a pivot. The latch 316 a is operable in alocked mode engaged with the siderail 302 a (see FIGS. 22 and 25) and inan unlocked mode disengaged from the siderail 302 a (see FIGS. 23 and26). A handle 320 a of the latch extends along an upper surface of theend support 310 a and is oriented generally orthogonal to an arm 322 aof the latch 316 a. The handle 320 a serves as a user operated lever tomove the latch 316 a between the locked and unlocked modes.

The arm 322 a extends through a partially slotted opening 324 a formedthrough the end support 310 a. The slotted opening 324 a is sized toaccommodate the desired range of motion during pivoting of the latch 316a about the axle 318 a. The arm 322 a includes a catch 326 a forfrictionally engaging a lip 328 a of the mounting portion 312 a of thesiderail 302 a when the latch 316 a is in the locked mode.

A biasing member in the form of a spring clip 330 a is disposed in theslotted opening and one leg 331 a is received in a notch 323 a of thelatch 316 a. This helps to hold the spring clip 330 a properlyorientated within the slotted opening 324 a. The other leg 331 b of thespring clip 330 a abuts a wall portion 325 a of the end support 310 a.The spring clip 330 a urges the latch 316 a towards the closed mode suchthat the catch 326 a is biased to engage the lip 328 a. To release thelatch 316 a, the bias of the spring clip 330 a is overcome by liftingthe handle 320 a, the arm 322 a pivots away from the lip 328 a, and thecatch 326 a disengages therefrom. The crossbar 304 a can then be liftedaway from the mounting portion 312 a and rotated relative to thesiderail 302 a. Although not illustrated, one skilled in the art shouldappreciate that the other securing mechanism 308 b is preferablyconfigured identically to the securing mechanism 308 a.

Turning now to FIGS. 27–29, the rotating and pivoting mechanism 306 awill be described. The mechanism 306 a includes an endpiece 340 apreferably formed integrally with a lower portion of the crossbar 304 a.A guide member in the form of a pin 342 a is positioned within a opening344 a formed in the endpiece 340 a. The opening 344 a includes a lowerportion 344 a, that is preferably shaped as a triangular slot, or a slotof non-constant cross sectional area, to allow pivoting of the crossbar304 a relative to the siderail 302 b and pin 342 a while simultaneouslypreventing rotation of the crossbar 304 a about its own longitudinalaxis. The rotation of the crossbar 304 a about its own longitudinal axisis accomplished by the abutting engagement of the pin 342 a with thewalls of the opening 344 a.

The lower portion of the endpiece 340 a is partially spherically shapedto provide a radiused surface 346 a. The radiused surface 346 a nestswithin a complimentary shaped dish 348 b secured within a cavity 350 bof the siderail 302 b. An orifice 352 b is provided through the dish 348b to accommodate the pin 342 a therein. The radiused surface 346 a anddish 348 b cooperate to control the pivoting and rotating of thecrossbar 304 a relative to the siderail 302 b.

While not illustrated, one skilled in the art should appreciate that theother rotating and pivoting mechanism 306 b is preferably formedidentically to the rotating and pivoting mechanism 306 a.

Referring now to FIG. 30, an end support 400 in accordance with analternative preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. Theend support 400 forms a securing mechanism for latching a cross bar 402to either mounting portion 312 a or 312 b of the support rails 302 a and302 b, respectively (FIGS. 20 and 21). Cross bar 402 itself is otherwiseidentical in construction to cross bars 304 a and 304 b shown in FIGS.20 and 21.

The end support 400 includes an integrally formed housing 404 which isfixedly secured to an outermost end of the cross bar 400 in aconventional manner, such as by a threaded fastening element (notshown). Disposed on, or within, the housing 404 is an actuating member406, a latching member 408 and a resilient bumper member 410. Biasingmembers 412 and 414 are also disposed within the housing 404, and willbe described in greater detail momentarily.

Referring further to FIG. 30, the actuating member 406 forms a leverhaving a graspable portion 416 and a mounting structure 418. Thegraspable portion 416 rests within a recessed portion 420 of an upperportion 422 of the housing 404. The mounting structure 418 is pivotallysecured to the housing 404 via a pivot pin 424 that extends through apair of aligned openings 426 in the mounting structure 418. As such, theactuating member 406 can pivot, relative to the housing 404, between aclosed position and an open position. The mounting structure 418 alsoincludes a pair of arcuate guide surfaces 428, the function of whichwill be discussed momentarily.

A lower portion 430 of the housing 404 extends elevationally below anopening 432 in the upper portion 422 of the housing. Within the opening432 is disposed the latching member 408. The latching member 408includes a pair of aligned openings 434 at an upper end 436, a pair ofarcuate surfaces 438 at the upper end 436, and a hook or latch 440 at alower end 442. With brief reference to FIG. 31, the latching member 408is shown to also include a slot 444 formed therein. The latching member408 is also pivotally secured to the housing 404 via the pivot pin 424and is able to pivot between latched and unlatched positions relative tothe mounting portions 312 a or 312 b.

With reference again to FIG. 30, the resilient bumper member 410 can beseen to include a flange 446 which allows the bumper member 410 to bepress fit through an opening 448 in the lower portion 430 of the housing404. The bumper member 410 prevents marring or scratching of the outerbody surface of the vehicle in the event the user accidentally drops thehousing 404 while moving the cross bar 402 between the stowed andoperative positions. The bumper member 410 may be made from rubber orany other suitable material that will not scratch or mar a paintedsurface upon contact therewith.

Referring to FIGS. 30 and 32, biasing member 412 forms a torsion springthat is placed with one leg 412 a against an inner surface 450 of theactuating member 406 and the other leg 412 b against a surface 452 ofthe actuating member 406. The biasing member 412 thus helps to maintainthe actuating member 406 within the recessed area 420 of the housing 404when the actuating member is in its closed position. Biasing member 414is placed within the lower portion 430 of the housing 404 with one leg414 a in the slot 444 of the latching member 408 and the other leg 414 bagainst the wall surface 454 of the lower portion 430 of the housing404. The biasing member 414 serves to provide a constant biasing forcewhich tends to bias the latching member 408 into engagement with themounting portion 312 a or 312 b of one of the other support rails 302 aor 302 b when the housing 404 is latched to one of the mountingportions.

Referring now to FIGS. 32 and 33, the housing 404 is shown in latchedand unlatched positions, respectively. Referring specifically to FIG.32, when in the latched position, the actuating member 406 is in theclosed position with the graspable portion 416 resting within the recess420 in the upper portion 422 of the housing 404. The hook portion 440 ofthe latching member 408 is engaged with the mounting portion 312 a of,in this example, support rail 302 a.

In FIG. 33 the actuating member 406 has been moved to the open position.During this movement, an edge portion 456 of the actuating member 406contacts an edge 458 of the latching member 408 and urges the latchingmember rotationally into an unlatched position relative to the mountingportion 312 a of the support rail 302 a. During this movement the curvedsurfaces 428 of the mounting portion 418 ride within the arcuatesurfaces 438 of the latching member 408. From FIG. 32 it can be seenthat the actuating member 406 is able to rotate a slight degree(preferably about 15–25 degrees), before contacting edge 458 andbeginning to unlatch the latching member 408. Rotating the actuatingmember 406 after contacting edge 458 results in the actuating memberbeginning to unlatch the actuating member 408, and the additionalbiasing force of biasing member 414 is overcome as the user rotates theactuating member fully into the position shown in FIG. 33.

This pivotal securing of the actuating member 406 to the latching member408 provides the benefit that the actuating member is able to be movedinto a position perpendicular, or substantially perpendicular, to theupper portion 422 of the housing 404, providing the user with a morenatural “feel” that the actuating member is in its fully open position.The biasing force provided by biasing member 412 provides a slightbiasing force that causes the actuating member 406 to be immediatelysnapped back into the closed position once the operator releases theactuating member. It will also be appreciated that the arcuate surfaces438 on the latching member 408 could be formed with short flat portionsor protrusions that form detents to hold the actuating member in theopen position of FIG. 33 once the user fully opens the actuating member406.

Thus, a vehicle article carrier is provided which operates in two modes.In a first mode, the crossbars are stowed such that each lies parallelto a siderail. This mode reduces wind noise from the vehicle articlecarrier. In a second mode, the crossbars are oriented cross-wise to thelongitudinal axis of the vehicle to span the space between the siderailsand provide a support structure for carrying desired loads.

Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoingdescription that the broad teachings of the present invention can beimplemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention hasbeen described in connection with particular examples thereof, the truescope of the invention should not be so limited since othermodifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon astudy of the drawings, specification, and following claims.

1. A vehicle article carrier for supporting articles above an outer bodysurface of a vehicle, comprising: first and second support rails securedto said outer body surface generally parallel to one another, andorientated parallel to a longitudinal axis extending along said outerbody surface; said support rail rails each including first and secondindependent movable mounts each being slidably supported on itsassociated support rail, and each being adjustably positionable alongits associated said support rail; each of said first and second movablemounts having a locking assembly for fixed securing at a desiredposition along said side rail, and said first movable mounts on each ofsaid support rails having a pivot mechanism associated therewith; a pairof cross bars supported from said support rails for supporting articlesthereon, each of said cross bars being coupled at a first end thereof toan associated one of the first movable mounts, and at a second endthereof to one of the second movable mounts on the same one of the siderails, when in a stowed mode, so that each said cross bar is disposedparallel with one of said side rails; each of said cross bars includinglocking structure at the second ends thereof for fixedly securing eachsaid second end of each said cross bar to an associated one of saidsecond movable mounts when said cross bar is in said stowed mode, and tothe other one of said second movable mounts on the other one of saidsupport rails so that each said cross bar is disposed in a spanning modeextending perpendicularly between said support rails and is secured atsaid first and second ends thereof to said support rails.
 2. The vehiclearticle carrier of claim 1, wherein said locking structure at the secondend of each of said cross bars includes a shroud having a manuallyengageable locking wheel enabling an individual to grasp and unlock saidsecond end of each of said cross bars from the second said movable mountto which it is secured.
 3. The vehicle article carrier of claim 2,wherein said second slidable mounts that are adapted to engage with thesecond ends of said cross bars include a tab having an opening; andwherein said shrouds at said second ends of said cross bars each includea slotted opening formed by a pair of arm portions, with each of saidarm portions having aligned openings; and wherein said locking wheelincludes a shaft for engaging with said openings in said arm portionsand said opening in said tab.
 4. The vehicle article carrier of claim 1,wherein said locking assembly includes manually engageable lockingwheels for securing and unsecuring their associated said movable mountsare desired positions along their respective said support rails.
 5. Avehicle article carrier for supporting articles above an outer bodysurface of a vehicle, comprising: first and second support rails securedto said outer body surface generally parallel to one another, andorientated parallel to a longitudinal axis extending along said outerbody surface; said support rail rails each including first and secondindependent movable mounts each being slidably supported on itsassociated support rail, and each being adjustably positionable alongits associated said support rail; each of said first and second movablemounts having a manually engageable locking wheel assembly for fixedsecuring at a desired position along said side rail, and said firstmovable mounts on each of said support rails having a pivot mechanismassociated therewith; a pair of cross bars supported from said supportrails for supporting articles thereon, each of said cross bars beingcoupled at a first end thereof to an associated one of the first movablemounts, and at a second end thereof to one of the second movable mountson the same one of the side rails, when in a stowed mode, so that eachsaid cross bar is disposed parallel with one of said side rails; each ofsaid cross bars including a manually engageable locking wheel at thesecond ends thereof for fixedly securing each said second end of eachsaid cross bar to an associated one of said second movable mounts whensaid cross bar is in said stowed mode, and to the other one of saidsecond movable mounts on the other one of said support rails so thateach said cross bar is disposed in a spanning mode extendingperpendicularly between said support rails and is secured at said firstand second ends thereof to said support rails.
 6. The vehicle articlecarrier of claim 5, wherein each said cross bar includes a shroud ateach end thereof, each said shroud including a slotted opening adaptedto engage with one of said movable mounts to permit securing of eachsaid end of said cross bar to a selected pair of said movable mounts. 7.The vehicle article carrier of claim 5, wherein one of said shrouds isnon-releasably pivotally secured to one of said first movable mounts. 8.The vehicle article carrier of claim 5, wherein each of said first andsecond movable mounts includes a tab with an opening for enable securingof one end of one of said cross bars thereto.
 9. The vehicle articlecarrier of claim 5, wherein: each of said support rails includes anelongated channel; and each of said elongated channels including a pairof threaded tap plates movable slidably therewithin.
 10. The vehiclearticle carrier of claim 9, wherein said manually engageable lockingwheel assemblies each include a threaded shaft for engaging with arespective one of said threaded tap plates.
 11. The vehicle articlecarrier of claim 5, wherein each of said movable mounts includes anopening, and wherein an associated one of said manually engageablelocking wheels is disposed within said opening for rotational movement.12. A vehicle article carrier for supporting articles above an outerbody surface of a vehicle, comprising: first and second support railssecured to said outer body surface generally parallel to one another,and orientated parallel to a longitudinal axis extending along saidouter body surface; said support rail rails each including first andsecond independent movable mounts each being slidably supported on itsassociated support rail, and each being adjustably positionable alongits associated said support rail; each of said first and second movablemounts having an opening with a manually engageable locking wheelassembly disposed within opening, each said movable mount being fixedlysecurable at a desired position along said side rail, and said firstmovable mounts on each of said support rails having a pivot mechanismassociated therewith; a pair of cross bars supported from said supportrails for supporting articles thereon, each of said cross bars having ashroud at each of first and second ends thereof, and each of said crossbars being coupled at said first end thereof to an associated one of thefirst movable mounts, and at said second end thereof to one of thesecond movable mounts on the same one of the side rails, when in astowed mode, so that each said cross bar is disposed parallel with oneof said side rails; each of said shrouds of each of said cross barsincluding a manually engageable locking wheel at the second ends thereoffor fixedly securing each said second end of each said cross bar to anassociated one of said second movable mounts when said cross bar is insaid stowed mode, and to the other one of said second movable mounts onthe other one of said support rails so that each said cross bar isdisposed in a spanning mode extending perpendicularly between saidsupport rails and is secured at said first and second ends thereof tosaid support rails.